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eBay and the rickenfaker witch hunt...
- Thread starter PeteSix
- Start date
I understand protecting currently-held copyrights by not letting new instruments get sold online... but, dang, some of these copy basses are nearly 40 years old by now, made during a time when Rickenbacker wasn't properly/legally protecting their design. It's not like some dude that sells an old Japanese Ric copy is taking business from Rickenbacker and their current products. Is buying an older authentic Rickenbacker from someone privately helping the company? Not really, they're not seeing any income from used sales of their real stuff so I wonder why they care to go after the sales of older copy basses.
Ah, okay. Either way, I still don't like that they have to 'go after' private sales of old instruments that have no impact on sales of brand new Rickenbackers. That's what they're selling to make money.
I think it has something to do with 'if you don't actively protect your design you can't claim/keep the rights to it'... ?
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
How was Kay allowed to make it in the first place? I'm sure they made more than one of them did Ric sue?
Imagine the improvements that could have been made to the Rickenbacker designs if they lost their patents, a la Fender. Rickenbacker base designs in more motivated/competent hands would be a wonderful thing IMO.
as I understand it J Hall took out copyrights in the USA on Rickenbacker in 1988 when he took over the company and there was not copy protection on them before that date. he took out two copyrightss in the UK, one on the headstock and the other on the truss rod cover. that was in 2002.
as far as i can tell there was never any court action taken aginst the Japanese copys in the 70s only action to stop them being imported into the USA!
the only court action I can find is Gibson against a German company and Gibson lost!
The reason why RIC STILL HAS its copyrights is because they go through the trouble to enforce them. The reason there are so many Fender clones (And thus, lost market share for FMIC) is because Fender didn't do that.
JH is doing what's best for his company. Props to him for that.
JH is doing what's best for his company. Props to him for that.
Has Rickenbacker ever filed a law suit? I see lots of posturing from them, and lots of tough-guy psuedo legalese, and John Hall cropping up on forums and saying "That distributer will sure regret selling those Rockinbetters hurr hurr", but never an actual court case. Gibson vs PRS was notable (partly because Gibson came out as idiots), but I've never heard of Rick vs company X.
In the UK here we pay TV Licenses and if you don't pay up you get these threatening looking letters that seem to be legally binding but are nothing more than cunningly disguised spam. Most people regard them as being in some way legally powerful because they look right. However you can get away with not paying the license (they send some dodgy guys round to your house occasionally).
In the UK here we pay TV Licenses and if you don't pay up you get these threatening looking letters that seem to be legally binding but are nothing more than cunningly disguised spam. Most people regard them as being in some way legally powerful because they look right. However you can get away with not paying the license (they send some dodgy guys round to your house occasionally).
I'm wondering if someone with a bit more patience and time than me can pull up the relevant eBay policy and/or patent laws that enable Ric/eBay to pull a listing such as this, where the seller is not even pretending to have a genuine Rickenbacker for sale. It seems very inconsistent: I know the Fender body is not protected, but surely the logo is - you know, the one people are selling replica decals of on eBay?
I am amused that you write this as if the op was trying to sell this short scale kay bass as a Rickenbacker...
if the bass doesnt show up on a search for "rickenbacker".., if the listing doesnt mention Rickenbacker, and the brand of the bass is clearly stated.. i completely and totally fail to see how in what shape for or manner any Rick fan could take issue (unless they are insecure paranoids)...
If this was reported by someone on TB then they need therapy...seriously.
If it was the company, then they are not making any friends, and by directly attacking consumers, are more likely to lose business, not protect it.
if the bass doesnt show up on a search for "rickenbacker".., if the listing doesnt mention Rickenbacker, and the brand of the bass is clearly stated.. i completely and totally fail to see how in what shape for or manner any Rick fan could take issue (unless they are insecure paranoids)...
If this was reported by someone on TB then they need therapy...seriously.
If it was the company, then they are not making any friends, and by directly attacking consumers, are more likely to lose business, not protect it.
If this is the same listing I saw mentioned on BassChat, I think there were a couple there interested in buying it. It was mentioned at least. Might be worth taking a look if you still want to sell it.
